Do you have questions about weaning? Ask a Leading UK Paediatric Dietician your questions - £200 voucher to be won

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Do you have questions about weaning? We know that starting solids can be a big step, filled with questions and concerns. That’s why we’re excited to have Lucy Upton, a leading UK Paediatric Dietitian and a trusted voice in children’s nutrition, here to answer all your weaning worries!

Whether you’re unsure about when to start, what foods to introduce, or how to handle picky eaters, Lucy is here to help. Drop your questions below, and let’s make your weaning journey a little easier together.

• Share your questions on weaning your child below
• Everyone who shares a questions on the thread below by 25/10/2024 will be entered into a prize draw to win a £200 voucher
• Lucy will be back in a few weeks to answer your questions

About Lucy Upton:
Lucy Upton is a leading UK Paediatric Dietitian and voice for children's nutrition. She has over 14 years of experience embedded in the NHS and Private Practice. She is passionate about championing the nutritional health of babies and children of all ages. Lucy has gained a wealth of clinical experience supporting children and their families in a range of NHS settings, from GP clinics and schools to Specialist Children’s Hospitals. Her knowledge and experience gained within this diverse range of settings allow her to bring experienced, honest, pragmatic and, importantly, evidence-based advice to parents when supporting children’s feeding and nutrition. Lucy’s specialist areas of expertise include; food allergies, fussy eating, gut health, feeding and feeding difficulties, weaning, coeliac disease, and children’s growth.

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What is your opinion on baby led weaning vs purées? I fed my three older children puréed food until they had a good few teeth and they are fantastic eaters. My 8 month old only has two teeth so I’m worried about her choking on larger food, but everything I read this time around recommends baby led weaning.

Is the current advice to start weaning at 6months - should it really be around the development size/weight of baby - what's the ideal age to start weaning safely if breast feeding is not filling baby up ?

What should I look out for in the nappy if my baby has an intolerance to a food type ?

Are there any health benefits (proven) for giving children organic - against farm produced vegetables ? And is organic worth it when weaning children ?

Should I introduce vitamins as well as food?

Hello Lucy, why do you think there is an increase in food intolerances, when i was at school - I knew no one with any allergy for food - now you get several in a class with numerous food allergies from slight to life threatening ? Is there any link to weaning at the wrong time ?

Hello Lucy, when should pureed food change to food with slightly more substance and smaller lumps for chewing, after initial weaning ?

I want a primarily vegetarian diet, with pureed fruits and vegetables, would a baby need any supplements if I choose to do this long term ?

My DC weaned really easily on purees, carrots, parsnips, squash, and fruit, now he seems to have regressed to spitting out and reusing all but sweet foods - any advice ?

What type of food options should follow after fruit and veg?

Help! My baby is 10 months old and really does not seem to like food. When we started weaning she did seem to at least try food but now she just clamps her mouth shut, turn away and get upset. She eats yoghurt and puréed fruit and will try spaghetti but is not keen on anything else. She loves breast milk and still wakes for feeds multiple times a night. Any tips? I was planning on mentioning it to the Health Visitor at her 12 month check up. I've tried baby led weaning and she will very occasionally put food up to her lips but will more often than not just brush the food aside. I'm worried about what will happen when she starts nursery in January if nothing changes

Hi, I have a four month old. I’m excited to start weaning in the next few months and particularly excited about my little boy trying Christmas dinner for the first time. Is there anything in a Christmas dinner I cannot give him? Should I avoid gravy for example because of the salt content? I heard that starchy food, like potatoes, can be harder for them to breakdown in the beginning. Is there any truth in that? TIA

I’ve got a specific question too, about prunes. I always see prune pouches for babies. I know prunes can act like a natural laxative - should I hold off give my boy prunes until I know how he handles other food first?

What is a safe amount to give a 6month old? My son has started weaning (just purees at the moment) & LOVES food - I’ve been giving him solids once a day for breakfast but he still seems like he wants to eat. He’s stopped waking for a feed at night but still wants just as much milk during the day.

Can I reheat purees which I have cooked, stored and heated once for weaning, there is no meat products within them, and they have been chilled immediately after heating after cooking and pureeing.

Can you overfeed solids when weaning? My 6 month old is ravenous. At some meals she eats more than my toddler, she's eating 3 times a day and breastfeeding throughout the day and night. She's been sitting on the 2nd centile since birth so I'm reluctant to limit her but she is eating so much more than my son did. For breakfast she had 3-4 heaped tablespoons full of scrambled egg, the same again of homemade baked beans, a couple of toast fingers and a weetabix, then breastfed. I think if I hadn't stopped her she would have just kept going...

Whenever my 6 month old has consumed baby porridge, she's had incredibly hard stools that cause her discomfort. I always ensure that she has plenty of fruit with it, too. Does this sound like an allergy to you?

Is it possible to have a baby checked for food intolerances before you start weaning - they have an uncle with a nut allergy and I am wanting to rule this and any other things out (this is just an example - not planning to introduce nuts or peanut butters anytime soon)

can any one suggest if i can use mommybliss baby multivitamin from wallgreen . also any lead on how can i shop from usa store being in uk . i have heard of some parcel forwarding company who can get me these supplements for my baby .

Hi
We are due to start weaning in the next couple of months but don't know how to go about still giving him milk
Should they stay on the same amount until feeding is well established or have less I'm totally confused around it all
Baby loves milk at the minute and am guessing (hoping) he will be the same with food but don't want to over or underfeed as Baby currently would probably have milk until he is sick and then ask for more!

any tips to deal with refusal to sit down and eat? or stuffing too much in then haggling and spitting it all out?
We started off really well but have reached the stage where he won’t sit still for more than a few bites. I don’t want to spend every meal time feeding him tiny bits or chasing him with a spoon. Thanks

What foods would you start with first - my instinct is sweet, but I am worried that the would get a sweet tooth and refuse savoury - any tips welcome.

Whats your thoughts on buying supermarket babyfood for weaning - if you are not confident enough to make your own babyfood for weaning - I assume they are highly regulated and would not contain any unnecessary additives. With other dc's don't have the time, energy or confidence in this stage.
Please don't judge

Why does the UK recommend waiting until 6 months to introduce solids when many other countries recommend starting between 4 and 6 months? Especially when current evidence suggests waiting until 6 months can increase the risk of allergies.

If baby is sitting unaided can you wean before 6 months?